A NEW arts festival begins soon in Guildford and performers turned up on the High Street on Saturday to provide shoppers with a flavour of their shows.

The Guildford Fringe takes place this year at the Star Inn, in Quarry Street throughout July, with entertainment every night.

Acts appearing range from a stage version of the television comedy Steptoe and Son to new musicals, and even a live debate with Guildford Skeptics.

Many of the acts were out in force to perform for shoppers last weekend. Festival director Nick Wyshna, said: “We organised as many of the acts as possible to come down to the High Street for a bit of a performance of their acts in full costume.

“All the performers at the Edinburgh Fringe go out on the streets and flier their acts, and it’s Edinburgh I want to model the festival on.

“We’ve had Faith Powell, who’s a comedy speaker telling how she left her career as a sales executive to become a children’s entertainer. There’s Godalming College, who are doing a new musical called Everything in Colour. They’re a really good group with a brilliant cast.”

The musical, which will be performed on Friday July 5, follows a group of friends around Camden on the eve of Labour’s landslide election victory in 1997.

Another musical, to be performed on July 25, will be Bang Out of Line – an Othello-inspired tale of a troubled, unstable young man.

Elsewhere on the line-up is a night of show tunes from One Night Only, the Alan Turing-inspired The Code Breaker, a movie music quiz and comedy, magic, music and burlesque from The Lock-In Cabaret.

“There’s a really good buzz around and a lot of people are talking about it,” said Nick.

“A lot of people now know it’s happening and it’s really exciting for Guildford.

“We’ve got someone on every night so even if you don’t know what’s going on there will be something being performed.”

Guildford Fringe began as a theatre company last year and has since staged performances of three plays at the Star Inn.